The Other Half of Us
by fickleminder
Summary: The bell around Chat Noir's neck was empty, but there was something in Chat Blanc's that made it tinkle, the seemingly innocuous sound sending chills running down her spine.
1. Part 1

**Author's Note** : Welcome to my first contribution to the Miraculous fandom wheeee! I'm relatively new here, joined around the time episode 4 aired in Korea. Anybody familiar with my previous works will know that I'm an angst dragon, but here's hoping I won't get kicked out of the fandom too early.

This story follows a non-linear narrative, so apologies in advance for any confusion. Please enjoy :)

* * *

 **The Other Half of Us**

Part 1

The bell around Chat Noir's neck was empty.

Ladybug assumed it was simply a mere decoration on his costume. After all, what kind of superhero would want to alert their enemies to their presence, especially one who was supposed to be the personification of a stealthy black cat? (Not quite the case since he didn't always land on his feet, but that was beside the point.)

It was the second thing that had caught Ladybug's attention during her first encounter with the flirtatious vigilante. Chat Noir's electric green eyes had captivated her initially, at least up to the point where she realized he was leaning in a little too close for comfort. A sharp kick to his shin was all it took to break the spell, and amidst the ensuing confusion – which nearly turned into an actual fight until their respective kwamis assured them that neither posed a threat to the other – all thoughts of teasing her future akuma-fighting partner about his shiny accessory quickly slipped her mind.

The topic never really came up again later on, so that was that.

* * *

"Dude, you look terrible!"

"Thanks Nino."

"Your father's really working you to the bone, huh?" Nino patted his best friend's back in sympathy. Adrien groaned and reached into his messenger bag, pulling out a thermos. "Ugh, coffee again? How can you even drink that stuff?"

The blond yawned loudly. "It's not so bad once you get used to it," he insisted, twisting the cap off. "And it helps me stay awake during class so I don't fall behind."

Nino scrunched his nose in distaste as the bitter smell of hot espresso wafted out. The upcoming fashion conference in Paris had been all over the news recently. It went without saying that Gabriel Agreste was actively involved in it, and the fact that he had roped his son into participating was no surprise either. Adrien had been busy attending more meetings and photoshoots in the past few weeks, leaving him with even less spare time than before.

While most of Adrien's admirers would argue that he looked perfect as always, Nino could see the exhaustion taking its toll on him, the fatigue weighing down on his shoulders, the almost imperceptible bags under his eyes. Frankly speaking he was getting worried, and the onset of Adrien's caffeine addiction wasn't helping his case at all.

Unbeknownst to Nino, he wasn't the only one who had noticed.

Alya nudged her best friend suggestively as she peeked around the corner where the two boys were. "You hear that? I told you the coffee bread was a good idea!" she whispered excitedly. "Bring a loaf with you to school after lunch. I'm sure Adrien would appreciate it!"

 _Should I tell him?_

"Marinette!"

The girl in question jumped back with a squeak, rubbing her arm where Alya had pinched her. "Ow… Alya!"

"What? Come on, this is your chance! The boy of your dreams is under a lot of stress. Don't you want to make him feel better?"

"I do, but…" _I've kept quiet long enough._ "What if he doesn't like bread? Or – or if it messes up his diet? Then he won't be able to model in his new clothes and it'll be all my fault!"

Alya rolled her eyes with an amused huff, having long gotten used to Marinette's vivid imagination and crazy scenarios. "That won't happen, trust me! You look like you've got something you really want to say to him, so just offer him some food and start talking!"

"Easier said than done…" Marinette sighed dejectedly. _I need to tell him, but I don't want him to be disappointed. What do I do?_

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Alya poked her cheek lightly, a hint of concern on her face. "You're usually more jumpy than this when it comes to Adrien. I don't know what's gotten you so preoccupied lately, but worrying about it isn't going to solve anything."

Laughing uneasily, Marinette took Alya's arm and steered her towards their classroom, effectively ending the conversation. Alya didn't press the issue any further to her relief, yet Marinette felt as though there were a dozen black butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

* * *

 _"– with the collapse of the billboards atop the weather station last night. While the authorities suspect foul play, there have been no sign of forced entry into the building. Inspection teams are currently working to determine the cause of this bizarre incident, and their assessment of the structural integrity –"_

* * *

There was something in Chat Blanc's bell that made it tinkle, the seemingly innocuous sound sending chills running down her spine. The accessory itself had changed along with the rest of his costume – now bleached a ghostly shade of white, a blank canvas for Hawk Moth's purposes – sporting an imprint of a black rose on the smooth surface.

A distant part of Ladybug immediately zeroed in on that fact, wasting no time in pinpointing the akuma's hiding place, but her attention was focused on the feral look in her former partner's eyes. The twisted grin etched onto his face was paralyzing, screaming _danger DANGER_ as he moved towards her like a tiger stalking its prey, the barest hint of a bounce in his steps, taking his sweet time knowing that she was too frozen in horror to run.

Ladybug couldn't remember the last time pure, unadulterated fear had gripped her heart like this. Her limbs refused to cooperate even as her instincts screamed at her to do something, _anything_. Hawk Moth's cruel laughter in the background was drowned out by the clear ringing of Chat's bell as he approached her, and she shuddered involuntarily.

Perhaps that was what the bell was for, she thought absently. Chat Blanc wasn't afraid to let people know he was near; he _wanted_ them to hear him coming and realize that there was nothing they could do to stop it.

The cat was out of the bag, and it wanted to play.

* * *

"Ladybug, behind you!"

The superheroine reacted on sheer instinct, swinging her yo-yo sharply as she twisted around in mid-air, barely slicing through the blue ribbon which had been going for her throat.

"Hold still, you little brats!" Quicklace growled in annoyance, regenerating the fabric at the tip of her wand. With a flick of her wrist, she conjured up more streaks of ribbons and sent them flying towards the two masked teens. They dodged and weaved furiously, but there was only so much space in the main hall of the dance school. One stray ribbon managed to wrap itself around Chat Noir's waist and flung him towards the window, sending him crashing through it and into the alley outside.

When her partner failed to reappear after several minutes, Ladybug began to worry. It wasn't the first time he had taken such a hit (in fact he once joked about preferring to be thrown _through_ a window rather than _into_ a wall), but given that he had already used his signature move earlier on in the fight, it was possible that his suit's low power was preventing him from recovering as quickly.

Faced with a hydra of ribbons, armed with only a yo-yo and no backup, Ladybug decided to make a temporary retreat. Ducking under another ribbon, she swung herself up onto the rafters and leapt through the window, landing perfectly on her feet next to Chat Noir's motionless form.

"Chat!" she gasped, dropping to her knees. The other teen was sprawled on the ground in an unconscious heap, but fortunately he was still breathing. Abandoning all thoughts of returning to the battle, Ladybug cradled his head and gently sifted through his hair, feeling the contours of a bump forming on the back of his skull. Biting her lip in worry, she was too caught up in trying to figure out their next move to notice the last flashing paw mark on his ring.

There was the sound of telltale beeping, and then suddenly it wasn't Chat Noir in her lap anymore.

* * *

 _"– in what seems to be some kind of soapy liquid. Visitors have reported the mass of slippery puddles at the base of the Eiffel Tower, and the mayor has ordered an immediate cleaning of the national monument –"_

* * *

Now that Marinette was in her best friend's shoes, she finally understood the pains of what Alya loved to call 'shipping'.

It made her wonder if she and Adrien used to act the way Nino and Alya did, constantly dancing back and forth and around each other, driving their respective wingman (or wingwoman) nuts with the urge to tell them to _just kiss already!_ Granted, Nino and Alya had known each other for longer and they were less shy when it came to expressing themselves, but there was still that invisible line that had yet to be crossed.

Nevertheless, Marinette was truly happy for Alya. Nino had started to hang out with them more often, and she found herself coming up with all sorts of schemes to give them some alone time together (Alya's matchmaking tendencies had clearly rubbed off on her). She liked Nino, and her best friend deserved to be with someone like him.

There was only one problem with the whole arrangement: the reason Nino had joined their little duo in the first place.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Adrien's a real stick in the mud."

Marinette winced. Coming from his best friend, that was saying something. She watched as Alya wrapped an arm around Nino's slumped shoulders, feeling her heart sink at the crestfallen look on his face.

It was as though Adrien had turned into a completely different person. He had become more closed off and aloof, preferring to spend his time hiding away in the library than with his friends. The excuse of needing to catch up with his studies was getting old, and there was only so much brushing off Nino could take before he stopped asking the blond if he wanted to hang out after class.

Adrien's new wardrobe reflected the drastic change in his personality as well. A white long sleeved button down shirt, black tie, gray vest and dark slacks – all part of an upcoming clothing line he had to model for the fashion conference. Many assumed he was getting used to the style, and Marinette had to admit he did look good in that outfit. Chloé had been all over Adrien the first day he had worn it to school, but even she had been put off by his behavior after a while. Sabrina had told her to give him some space, reasoning that he had been under a lot of pressure lately.

But Marinette knew better.

 _I should have told him._

"Hello, anyone home?"

Marinette blinked in surprise, finding Alya snapping her fingers in front of her face.

"Come on, don't you start being all gloomy around me too," Alya said with a frown. "You've been acting weird since last month. Adrien's changed, I get that, but now it's like you're trying your best to avoid him altogether. What's wrong?"

"I –" Marinette turned away, one hand coming up to tug at her pigtails. "I'm fine Alya, I promise," she insisted weakly, forcing a smile to reassure her friend. But Alya only shook her head, not buying the obvious lie.

Nino sighed and fixed Marinette with a worried look of his own. "You're scaring us, Mari. Whatever it is, please let us help. We're your friends, right? I've already lost Adrien, I don't want to –" He paused, his eyes darting over her shoulder. "Speak of the devil," he muttered under his breath.

Sure enough, Marinette spun around to see Adrien descending the steps to the school. The three of them followed him with their eyes, watching as other students in his way automatically moved aside to let him pass. It felt like an eternity before he reached the limo parked at the curb, and Marinette didn't realize she had been holding her breath until he finally opened the door.

As though sensing their stares, Adrien suddenly turned towards them.

It was hard not to flinch under his intense gaze. Adrien seemed to be looking right at her, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly in a smirk. Under any other circumstances Marinette would have swooned, but now she only felt like crying.

She missed Adrien's smile.

* * *

It took every ounce of self-control not to drop Adrien when he abruptly jerked awake in her arms. Seeing as they were swinging above Paris at a dangerous height, it simply wouldn't do to let all her efforts to get him to safety go down the drain. Adrien instinctively wrapped his arms around her as they soared through the air, but Ladybug's inner Marinette was silent. There was no giddy excitement swelling in her chest, no racing heartbeat or choir of angels in sparkling fantasies.

 _I didn't mean to find out like this. It was an accident._

Back when they had first met, they had made a promise. They knew the risks of becoming superheroes, and they had agreed to keep their civilian identities a secret from each other. It went without saying that Ladybug wouldn't tell a soul about her discovery, but did she trust her partner to return the favor?

 _Of course I do! It's Adrien I'm talking about, and Chat may be a playful goof, but he's never given me a reason to doubt him before!_

But it was too late; the damage had been done the moment Chat Noir's mask had vanished from his face.

"You'll be safe here," Ladybug told him as she landed in an empty alley several streets away from the dance school. After depositing him carefully on the ground, she quickly stepped away, trying not to let any of her inner turmoil show as she prepared to flee.

"W-wait!" The sudden pressure on her wrist forced her to turn back, and her stomach dropped at the sight of the conflicted look on Adrien's face. "You – Did you –?"

 _Should I tell him?_ Ladybug swallowed nervously. She knew what he was asking. "Quicklace is still out there. I need to go back and stop her."

"But – It's too dangerous! You can't go by yourself!" Adrien insisted, his grip tightening ever so slightly. "What if something happens to you?"

The sheer amount of concern in his eyes only made her feel guiltier. It pained her to pry his hand off, but she had no choice. "I – I have to find my partner," she said softly, noticing the way his shoulders seemed to sag. She hoped it was in relief.

Because it was true – she didn't know _who_ her partner was. Was it Adrien, her cool, suave, perfect crush? Or was it Chat Noir, the flirtatious, cocky, reckless catboy? It was a struggle to reconcile the two vastly different sides of the same boy, and Ladybug didn't know who to believe anymore. She never had any problems keeping the two halves of her dual life separate before, but now the lines had been blurred beyond recognition.

"Be careful!" Adrien called out after her as she started to walk away. There was no mistaking the tone of worry in his voice, and it was all Ladybug could do to nod, unable to speak past the heavy lump in her throat. Because Chat Noir loved Ladybug, the strong, confident superheroine who always found a way to save the day. Not clumsy, shy, awkward Marinette, the plain little girl who couldn't even get past one day without making a fool of herself.

And if Adrien had never noticed her, what made her think that Chat Noir would ever give her a chance if he learned the truth?

* * *

The sun was setting, splashing hues of pink and orange across the Paris sky. The air was cool that evening, and a light breeze made Marinette shiver where she rested on the rooftop balcony of her house.

Things had been pretty peaceful lately, at least on Hawk Moth's side. With no akuma attack in weeks, it was nice to enjoy some time off from fighting supervillains, even though Marinette knew it wouldn't last. Call it paranoia or instinct, but she had a feeling something big was in the works and coming their way soon. The calm before the storm, as they say.

Recently, there had been a series of strange occurrences in the city, a mysterious trail of incidents that left the authorities baffled. The collapse of the billboards atop the weather station, the soapy liquid coating the Eiffel Tower… Ladybug was still trying to figure out the pattern, if there was any. While the events seemed to be unrelated, something told her that there was more to them than meets the eye. The destruction of Theo's statue in the city square had been the latest, and it was only yesterday that Ladybug had paid the sculptor a visit to express her sympathies. There was no mistaking the bitterness in his words even as he assured her that it gave him an excuse to rework his models and adjust their heights. After all, Chat Noir did point out (a little too happily, in his opinion) that he was taller than his partner.

Speaking of which, she hadn't seen Chat around for a while either. They didn't schedule regular meetings or anything, but her partner rarely missed the opportunity to seek her out when she was patrolling. His tracker was off – which was fine, because it meant he wasn't transformed and was probably busy with his civilian life – but what worried her was the fact that he hadn't been responding to her calls. No matter the situation, he _always_ answered.

"Penny for your thoughts, Marinette?" Tikki's voice chimed next to her. The kwami giggled as Marinette rubbed her head affectionately with a finger, and settled herself comfortably on her shoulder.

"I've just been thinking," Marinette replied, sighing absently.

"About Adrien and Chat?"

"Yeah… He's so different now. Adrien, I mean. I didn't think his father was putting that much pressure on him, but he just seems so stressed nowadays. You think that's why he doesn't transform anymore?"

Tikki hummed contemplatively. "Maybe. He does look like he needs all the rest he can get. Have you thought about telling him yet?" she asked, earning a groan from the teen.

"I don't know! It's not fair for only one of us to know, and I _want_ to tell him, I really do, but I – I'm scared…" The last part came out in a fragile whisper, and Tikki nuzzled Marinette's cheek in comfort.

"You can't run forever Marinette," the kwami told her sadly. "I know it's hard for you, but even though Adrien's your crush and Chat Noir's your partner, don't forget that they're your friends too. How do you think they'd feel if they knew how long you've been keeping it from them?"

Marinette was quiet for a long while. "You're right Tikki," she said eventually, a familiar glint of determination in her eyes. "No more running. The next time I see him, I'm going to tell him."

* * *

But there was no next time.

"What have you done to him?" Ladybug whispered in horror, shaking her head in denial even as the living evidence continued to move towards her, prowling gracefully along the rooftop where she stood.

"I did nothing." Clear amusement danced in Hawk Moth's eyes. " _He_ came to _me_ , offering to trade his Miraculous for a share of my power. You really should have kept a tighter leash on your pet, my dear."

"LIAR! Give him back!" she demanded, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. "Let him go!"

"Now why would I do that? After all, he is my son."

Ladybug could have sworn her heart stopped beating right then and there. Hawk Moth was Gabriel Agreste? Impossible! He was one of Marinette's idols; he declared her the winner of his design competition and let Adrien model in her bowler hat; she looked up to him! There was no way – she refused to believe it.

Hawk Moth cackled evilly. "Don't look so shocked, Ladybug. To be fair he's not the right one, but that's the tricky thing about twins. Chat Noir – or should I say Chat Blanc – is just a vessel, but I couldn't have asked for a more perfect one. Felix is on his way back, I've made sure of it."

Head spinning, Ladybug struggled to gather her bearings. _Adrien never mentioned anything about having a sibling, let alone a twin! What the hell's going on?_

At the chime of the clock tower, Chat Blanc pounced. Ladybug had no choice but to go on the defensive, evading his clawed swipes and countering the blows from his staff with her yo-yo. She knew she had to fight back, but she couldn't bear to hurt Chat in the process.

"It's your fault, you know," Hawk Moth commented casually as he watched Chat forcing her backwards. "You've stepped on his heart too many times when all he ever wanted was your love."

 _You've always had it! ADRIEN!_

This wasn't how things were supposed to go. The billboards, the soap, Theo's statue – they all corresponded to the akumas they had defeated previously. Timebreaker was next on the list, and Ladybug had immediately tried to contact Chat the moment all the clues came together. There had been no response as usual, so she had decided to investigate on her own. She never thought she would end up fighting her partner when she arrived at the last clock tower she searched.

 _Should have told him should have told him SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM_

"Marinette, look out!" Tikki's voice screamed in her ear.

Ladybug barely managed to dodge the claws aimed at her head, but she was too slow to avoid the incoming kick sent her way. The impact had her flying backwards and crashing into a wall, and it took every last bit of willpower in her to stand up again.

"That's my boy," Hawk Moth practically cooed, and her stomach churned as Chat Blanc purred at the praise. The way he looked at her with that wild glint in his eyes, that animalistic hunch in his posture… It was all wrong.

She had never felt so hopeless before in her life, even as Tikki reminded her that she had yet to use Lucky Charm to turn the tables. "If you're going to do something, you need to do it now!" the kwami urged. "We won't last very long in a fight against Chat otherwise!"

Ladybug shuddered as Chat Blanc licked his lips, his sharp gaze never leaving her throat, and she knew there was only one thing she could do.

She turned and fled, the ringing of Chat Blanc's bell echoing in her ears as she ran.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear what you think about this story. Come find me on tumblr if you wanna chat :)

(Ha! Chat, get it? It's – never mind I'm lame ignore meeee-ow~)

((Sorry I'll stop now.))


	2. Part 2

**Author's Note** : Thank you so much for the positive feedback you guys! I honestly hadn't planned on continuing this story, but all your support has been really encouraging! That said, I sure hope I don't disappoint with this update, and thanks again for being patient with me.

As with the previous part, this story follows a non-linear narrative, so apologies in advance for any confusion. Please enjoy :)

* * *

 **The Other Half of Us**

Part 2

A white butterfly fluttered in the darkness, hovering just beyond the entrance to the abandoned construction site. Adrien immediately recognized it as one of Hawk Moth's, but although it had already been purified, it wasn't flying away.

 _Felix?_

The creature danced out of his reach when he tried to grab it, and Adrien gave chase as it led him inside the ruins.

* * *

 _"Why doesn't dad like me?"_

 _Felix came to a dead stop in the middle of the hallway, causing Adrien to walk into his back with a small 'oof'. "What makes you say that?" he asked slowly, turning around to face his twin._

 _Adrien rubbed his chest with a pout. "Dad never lets me watch whenever you go to dress up and get your pictures taken," he whined. "He makes me stay home all the time and he always treats me like a baby!"_

 _"I – I don't know, Adrien…"_

 _No one knew really, how Felix came to be Gabriel Agreste's favorite son. Perhaps his father had seen more potential in him, or maybe it was because he tended to act more mature than most children his age. Either way, no one in the mansion dared to comment on the way Mr. Agreste would dismiss his younger son so blatantly in favor of his older._

 _But Felix didn't let it go to his head. He tried his best to make Adrien feel loved as well: spending his free time playing with him, sharing his snacks and collection of toys, giving him the attention he so craved from a parental figure. Adrien never resented him for being blessed with their father's affections, knowing that his twin always looked out for him. He loved his brother dearly, and the two were as close as siblings could be._

 _"Hey." Felix took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You know you'll always have me, right?"_

 _"Mmhmm…"_

 _Clearly dissatisfied with the answer, Felix dug his fingers into Adrien's sides instead, eliciting high-pitched squeaks and giggles. "Come on, say it!"_

 _"Ahaha – Felix, NO – stahp it – HAHAHA – okay okay! I'll always have m-my big brother!" Adrien laughed helplessly, his cheeks beginning to ache from smiling so hard._

 _"Five minutes isn't that much older." Felix stuck his tongue out at him, his eyes lighting up with mischief as Adrien batted his hands away. "You still have that bubble soap we bought last week?"_

 _"Uh huh, what about it?"_

 _"Remember Nathalie? Dad's new helper? I heard she has a fan in her office…"_

 _With identical grins on their faces, they raced each other back to their room._

* * *

Ironically enough, Hawk Moth did not believe in luck.

Every little detail in his grand scheme of things had to be carefully orchestrated and precisely executed, but never let it be said that he was not a man of opportunity. If he saw an opening, he took it without hesitation. If there was anyone in Paris with enough negative emotion to serve his needs, he would infect them with his akumas, no questions asked.

And if one of those people happened to be his own son, then so be it.

"Chat Blanc," he said, watching the boy clad in white leather open his eyes for the first time.

It was fitting, really. There was no better host for his dead son than his surviving twin, and while the power of one Miraculous wasn't enough to restore him fully, it had already planted the seed deep inside Adrien. Hawk Moth had created a special akuma for this very purpose, fueling it with energy from Chat Noir's ring. Felix's essence would grow over time and his mannerisms would start to bleed through before long, but he needed Ladybug's Miraculous for the resurrection to be complete.

"Welcome back, my son," Hawk Moth greeted him with a dark smile. "You have a lot to catch up on, but we have work to do before you'll be able to stay for good."

"Yes father," came the obedient reply.

"Excellent. Now, Felix, I don't suppose you could draw Ladybug out of hiding?"

"Leave it to me," Chat Blanc purred, curling his right hand into a fist as it pulsed and crackled with red energy. "I have an idea. Get me some soap, and I'll take care of the rest."

In the distance, muffled cries could be heard from a locked box tucked away in a dark corner of Hawk Moth's lair.

* * *

"– part of the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. An interesting complication that came up during battles resulted from the use of black powder at that time. Not only did the thick smoke from all the gunfire make it hard for soldiers to see, but the gunpowder itself was also highly corrosive. Smokeless powder wasn't introduced until – oh, there's the bell! Read up on the rest of the chapter over the weekend and I'll resume the discussion next week. Class dismissed!"

Marinette barely had time to pack up before Alya was pushing her and Nino out the door. Recognizing that her best friend was in 'reporter mode', she quickly shushed Nino's half-hearted protests as they were dragged to the empty courtyard behind the school, away from prying eyes.

"Geez Alya, what's all this about?" Nino complained, rubbing his wrist where he had been grabbed none too gently.

"You won't believe what I found out last night!" Alya exclaimed proudly, whipping out her trusty phone and typing away. "Mr. Agreste thinks he can hide it from the world, but he's no match for my investigative skills!"

"Alya, what are you talking about?" Marinette was equally confused. As enthusiastic as Alya could be, it was hard to follow her at times.

"THIS!"

Nino and Marinette leaned back as Alya practically shoved her phone in their faces. On the screen was a snapshot of the pin up board in her room, cluttered with news articles and post-it notes.

"You mentioned something about Adrien having a twin, right? I've been doing some digging recently, and it turned out that he _did_ , a long time ago. His name was Felix, he was the older twin, and he died in a car accident when they were six."

Marinette covered her mouth with a gasp. Nino's jaw dropped.

"I know right? It wasn't easy getting my hands on this info. Mr. Agreste probably tried to keep it under wraps, but the media always finds a way!"

"Hold on, that can't be true," Nino interjected, shaking his head. "I remember asking Adrien about his family once. He told me he'd been an only child all his life."

"My research is never wrong!" Alya shot back, stamping her foot in indignation. "Maybe it's still a painful topic for him so he didn't bring it up."

"But he didn't look sad or anything when I asked. He said – and I quote – 'It's just been me and dad for as long as I can remember.'"

Marinette tuned her friends out as they argued back and forth, trying to sort out her thoughts. She trusted Alya's skills, so Felix had to have existed at some point. And Nino had always been able to read Adrien like a book, so he had to be telling the truth too.

It didn't make any sense. Why couldn't Adrien remember his own brother?

* * *

 _"Dad?"_

 _It was like talking to a statue. Gabriel Agreste stood tall and silent, an immovable figure in the middle of his study. Cold, calculating eyes gazed out the window as he watched the sun set beyond the horizon, his back to the door, and a small tilt of his head was the only indication that he had heard the question._

 _"Where's Felix?"_

 _"...He went away for a while."_

 _"Oh. When's he coming back?" Adrien shrank into himself as his father turned around and gave him a hard look. He didn't answer for a long time, and then:_

 _"He'll be back, I'll make sure of it. Now, don't think about him anymore."_

 _Too frightened to press the issue any further, little Adrien fled the room._

 _When he was sure his remaining son was gone, Gabriel walked over to the phone on his desk. "Nathalie," he said, paging his secretary. "I want you to schedule Adrien an appointment with the family doctor next week…"_

* * *

"NO!"

Adrien gasped violently as his eyes snapped open, jerking upright in his bed. The silence of the night was punctuated by his labored breathing, his bedsheets clenched tightly in his fists as he shook himself back to awareness.

It had been that nightmare again, the one where he found himself dangling by the back of his neck at the hands of Roger Cop, screaming helplessly as his partner, the love of his life, plummeted to her death. No matter what he did ( _no no please –_ ), no matter how far he reached ( _almost there just a little bit more –_ ) or how hard he struggled ( _catch her catch her CATCH HER –_ ), he would always be forced to watch Ladybug's face twist into sheer terror as her yo-yo slipped out of his grasp, leaving her freefalling to the ground below.

Logically Adrien knew that she was safe, that it was just his vivid imagination tormenting him in his sleep, but that horrified look on Ladybug's face was one he never wanted to see again. He hadn't had that nightmare in a while, so suffice it to say he didn't appreciate it making a guest appearance out of the blue. Slowly catching his breath, it took him a moment to register the dull throbbing sensation at the back of his head. Groaning in discomfort, he rubbed at the pained spot gingerly.

Ever since that mild concussion he'd gotten two weeks ago from being thrown out the window, he'd been seeing flashes of a mysterious boy everywhere. Sometimes Adrien belatedly found himself looking to the side or reaching out his hand, as though expecting someone to be there. He had lost count of the number of times he'd managed to get a glimpse of that boy, only because it was hard to tell the subtle differences between the stranger and his own reflection.

It confused him to no end, especially when the boy had started to appear in his dreams as well. _Felix_ , he was called. _Big brother_ , he responded to. It felt so surreal watching his dream-self interact with him, seeing snippets of moments between them, tinged with a hint of familiarity. There was the possibility that those dreams were memories, but that couldn't be true since he was an only child… right?

A loud snore jolted Adrien out of his thoughts, and he turned to see Plagg sprawled out on a cushion next to his bed, surrounded by tiny crumbs of cheese. One quick glance across the room confirmed what he already knew: the kwami had just returned from devouring his midnight snack, the empty plate on the night stand a dead giveaway.

Adrien shook his head with a small huff, making a mental note to refill it in the morning as he slipped back under the covers.

* * *

If the flock of dead pigeons decorating the park and rusted antennas on countless rooftops were anything to go by, it was clear that Chat Blanc couldn't wait to see Ladybug again.

The people of Paris had begun to question where their beloved superheroes had disappeared to. Neither of them had made an appearance in a long while, and the escalation of the bizarre events plaguing their city was getting out of hand. The authorities had tried their best to apprehend the perpetrators and clean up the damage, but they were running out of ideas.

And so was Marinette.

 _It's all my fault. I should have told him, I should have TRUSTED him._

Ladybug and Chat Noir had been a duo ever since the Miraculous and their guardians had entered their lives. They were two halves of a whole, partners till the very end, and there was not one supervillain either of them had faced without the other. The shock of discovering that Chat was Adrien had shaken her badly, but her cowardice had been no excuse to hide the truth from him. All in all, they were simply two sides of the same person, and there was no one else who could relate to that better than her.

 _Chat was – IS my partner, and Adrien's my friend. I can't give up on them now, not after everything they've done for Ladybug and me._

It had taken a good number of pep talks from Tikki to accept that she couldn't change the past, that she had to deal with the consequences of her inaction. Chat Blanc was running rampant all over Paris and she had to stop him, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do it by herself. She needed a plan; rushing blindly into battle to confront him was suicide.

 _I have to fix this. I WILL fix this. No matter what it takes._

Which was how Alya and Nino found themselves in Marinette's room one afternoon, watching her wring her hands nervously. She had invited them over to discuss an urgent matter, and the uncharacteristically serious look on her face had been enough to set off warning bells in their heads.

"Marinette, is everything okay?" Alya asked, exchanging worried glances with Nino.

"I… I need your help. I can't do this alone, not anymore," Marinette said, opening the pouch at her waist. "But first, there's someone I'd like you two to meet."

* * *

"Say that again."

"…"

"Plagg! What do you mean, 'Ladybug knows'? Tell me!"

The kwami darted out of the way as Adrien lunged at him, flying towards the ceiling where the teen couldn't reach him. "Forget I said anything!" he denied a little too quickly for Adrien's liking.

Eyebrows furrowed deeply in thought, Adrien tried to recall the fight against Quicklace, his eyes widening in realization when he finally put the pieces together.

 _Ladybug knows who I am._

"She told you to keep quiet, didn't she?" Adrien demanded. Plagg didn't answer, and that was all the confirmation he needed.

Nothing could compare to the pain of utter _betrayal_ that stabbed his heart at that moment, knowing that his beloved Ladybug had hidden the truth from him. Even Plagg, annoying as he could be, his one constant companion during the lonely days away from his friends, had been in on it. After all he'd done, respecting her wishes to keep their identities a secret from each other, loving her more than his selfish desire to find out who she was behind the mask… How could they? Didn't they trust him?

Adrien had never felt so alone as he did then. He couldn't count on his family to be there for him ( _especially_ his family, because what kind of father didn't show up when even the mayor of Paris could make time for his daughter; couldn't even manage a simple 'no' but let his call go to voicemail instead), and now even his closest partners had abandoned him too?

Hurt slowly gave way to anger, and a bitter feeling began to swell in his chest. In the heat of the moment, Adrien forcefully wrenched his Miraculous from his finger and threw it into the wastebasket across the room, ignoring Plagg's alarmed protests.

"Just leave me alone!" he yelled, stomping over to his bed and burying himself under the covers. Plagg kept head-butting him through the sheets, apologizing frantically and pleading with him to _please put the ring back on_ , but Adrien refused to budge. The kwami eventually gave up after a while, and it took everything in him not to react as Plagg switched off the lights and bade him a soft goodnight, foregoing his usual cushion to curl up on his chest.

The next morning Adrien woke up in a daze, blinking his eyes blearily as he silenced his alarm. His head was spinning, his mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton, and there was this sore spot near his collarbone. He rubbed at it absently, trying to relieve some of the sharp ache building up in the area as he contemplated taking a sick day. The pain disappeared after a few minutes, but while he felt well enough to make it to school, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something.

Dragging himself out of bed, Adrien made his way to the bathroom, walking past the untouched plate of cheese on the nightstand.

* * *

"If you don't stop humming the Mission Impossible theme, I swear I will choke you with your own headphones. What part of being covert do you not understand?!"

"Relax, I know what I'm doing! I help Adrien sneak out all the time. Sneaking in is exactly the same, just the opposite!"

"That doesn't even make sense. And you watch too many spy movies."

"Where do you think I learnt how to disable alarms?"

"Oh for the love of – hurry up and get us in already!"

"…"

"Well?"

" _We're in_. Ha! I've always wanted to say th– OW!"

"Shut up and follow me. We don't have time to play around."

"What's with you? You barely batted an eyelash when you got kidnapped by that old Pharaoh at the Louvre, and now you're acting like you've lost your wifi signal."

"I can't help it, okay? I know I can be reckless when it comes to my blogging, but this isn't about me anymore. We need to save Adrien, and Marinette's risking her life to buy us some time while we find Plagg. I didn't realize how much danger she puts herself in every time she becomes Ladybug. For all we know, Adrien could be ripping her to pieces right now! Or what if Hawk Moth comes back and turns us into –"

"Alya, calm down! Look, I get that you're worried, but you need to trust Mari. She knows what she's doing. With her luck, we'll be in and out before anyone notices. Hawk Moth thinks he's won, and he's going to want a front seat to see her get beaten – not that she will, of course! It's also likely that he'll assume she's on her own, so he wouldn't count on her asking us for help. They're not exactly the best odds, but have a little faith, okay?

"Yeah, you're right Nino. Mari's counting on us, we can't let her down."

"That's the spirit! Now, is there some kind of secret basement in the blueprints? All the bad guys have one, and I bet that's where we'll find Plagg!"

"…Next time we have a movie night, I'm picking."

* * *

Adrien opened his eyes to cloudy, moonless skies.

It felt as though someone had been using him as a punching bag; the cold concrete beneath him seemed to press against every sore muscle in his body, and he shivered as a light breeze grazed his skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Groaning in pain, he carefully rolled over and pushed himself up.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

Instincts flared to life and the teen immediately jumped to his feet, valiantly ignoring the way his legs trembled from the effort. He lifted his arms in front of him as he shifted into a defensive stance, a spike of panic rushing through him when he noticed the absent ring on his finger.

 _What happened to my Miraculous? Where's Plagg?_

Thinking back, he faintly remembered going to school and attending photoshoots, but even then the memories were a little too fuzzy for his liking. There had been some kind of haze clouding his mind, and everything seemed to have passed him by in a blur. Now that the fog had been lifted, he found himself able to breathe again, able to focus on what was happening around him.

There was a sudden movement on his right, and he spun around just in time to see a tall, dark figure emerging from the shadows, cane in hand. It was hard to read the man's face under his mask, but Adrien knew without a doubt that he was standing before Hawk Moth himself.

 _This is bad. I can't transform, and I'm in no shape to fight. What do I do?_

"Felix."

The name struck a chord in him, but it wasn't because he'd been hearing it in his dreams. The way Hawk Moth said it, the words resonating with longing and bitterness, it was all too familiar…

Adrien's eyes widened.

 _Dad?_

Hawk Moth frowned at him. "This isn't over," he hissed angrily, tapping his cane sharply against the ground. A swarm of black butterflies converged on him seemingly out of nowhere, and when they dissipated Hawk Moth had vanished into thin air, leaving Adrien alone on the rooftop of the dilapidated building.

 _Wait, that's it?_

Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, the teen dropped his arms and collapsed to his knees with a breathy exhale. All things considered, he didn't think confronting his sworn enemy would turn out to be that anti-climactic. He had expected a fight to the death, at least a dozen threats – hell, even an army of akuma-possessed supervillains! Hawk Moth retreating so easily without any resistance was too good to be true, but if his bad luck had decided to take a back seat for the moment, he wasn't about to complain.

Adrien suddenly choked on a mirthless laugh, the sound bordering on hysterical. There was no way Hawk Moth could have been his father. Sure he was cold and distant, but he wasn't deliberately cruel, especially not to the point where he would force innocent people to do his bidding. Still, no matter how much he tried to deny it, an uneasy feeling lingered in his chest.

Because how else would Hawk Moth have known about Felix?

Shaking his head, Adrien pushed the thought to the back of his mind. First things first, he had to find a way out. Spotting an open door on the other side, he picked himself up and was just about to head over when a flash of red caught his attention.

 _Ladybug?_

There was a small splatter of crimson near the edge of the roof, the glaring hue a stark contrast against the dusty gray cement. Adrien's right hand began to tremble for some reason, tingling with the sensation of pins and needles, remnants of the familiar surge of power that was channeled into his palm every time he called upon his signature move –

All the blood drained out of his face.

 _What did I – What have I done?_

* * *

It was now or never.

"Lucky charm!"

Dropping into a roll as the summoned object fell into her open palm, Ladybug narrowly avoided the metal staff which embedded itself into the concrete where she had just been a split second ago. While Chat Blanc was busy retrieving his weapon, she spent the precious few seconds earned examining the polka-dotted sachet in her hand.

There was a large slit on one end to expose its contents, but Ladybug didn't need to see inside to know what it contained. The smell had been telling enough.

"Two can play at that game!" Chat Blanc sneered at her, twirling his staff elegantly in one hand as the other clenched into a tight fist. "Cataclysm!"

Ladybug spared a grim look at the sachet, and she knew what she had to do.

Claws extended, Chat Blanc pounced.

The two matched each other blow for blow, staff against yo-yo, streaks of red aura in the air where swipes had been dodged. Chat Blanc knew Ladybug's moves like the back of his paw, but she hadn't been his partner without learning how to read him either. She led him around in circles, going on the defensive as she bided her time for an opening.

Chat's bell had to be destroyed, but there was no way for Ladybug to get to it at a distance, not when his staff was able to deflect anything she threw at it. Breaking it at close range was the only option she had, but there was just one problem with that strategy: she had seen first-hand what Cataclysm could do to even the most massive objects, and she didn't want to find out what would happen if the devastating power were to be used on a living person.

"Hold still, you annoying little bug!" Chat snarled impatiently, doubling his efforts to land a solid hit on his former partner. His movements grew increasingly haphazard as anger fueled his strength, putting too much weight into each step, too much force into every blow. He was starting to become unpredictable, and Ladybug knew her window of opportunity had begun to close.

She saw her chance when the next punch came swinging towards her, lashing his wrist with her yo-yo and pulling him off balance before sliding in close, the golden accessory just within her reach –

White, hot, _excruciating_ pain suddenly exploded on the left side of her ribs, and the wind was knocked out of her so fast that she couldn't even scream. Ladybug nearly blacked out then and there, but she focused every last shred of searing agony into her arm instead, driving it forward to smash the open sachet against Chat Blanc's bell.

He stumbled backwards with a surprised cry, shoving her away as the black powder began to corrode the metallic object, eating into it and releasing the akuma inside. "NO!" he screamed, unable to do anything but watch as it fluttered into open air.

Teetering precariously at the edge of the roof, Ladybug struggled to remain standing. She clutched at her side in a futile attempt to stem the flow of blood pouring out, bleeding indistinguishably into her costume. There was a raging sensation spreading throughout her body, seeping under her protective suit and into her skin, burning her alive, but there was still one last thing she had to do.

Ladybug's throw was weak, but her aim was true, and just as her yo-yo snagged the black butterfly out of the air, she toppled over the edge.

* * *

 _"TAG! You're it!"_

 _"Hey, no fair! You didn't say we were playing that!"_

 _"Too bad, little brother! Catch me if you can!"_

* * *

"Felix, wait!"

Adrien's breaths came out in harsh pants as he chased after the white butterfly, trying to keep it in his sights. It was hard to see past the shadows with the few flickering lights dotting the area, but the creature never strayed too far, waiting for him to catch up before moving on.

After what felt like hours, it finally led him to the edge of the site, hovering above a pile of sandbags packed into one corner. There was a smaller shape moving beneath it, nudging the top of the stack with heartbroken wails.

 _"Nonono wake up! Please don't leave me! Not again!"_

The realization hit him like a sledgehammer.

"LADYBUG!" Adrien screamed, rushing towards the broken body cushioned on the sandbags. The first thing that came into view was her costume, but that couldn't be right because her sobbing kwami was next to him. It took a few seconds, and he nearly threw up when it finally clicked why there was so much _red_. Tearing his eyes away from her body, his stomach lurched as his gaze traveled upwards, finally landing on a familiar face.

 _Marinette?_

There had been one time he had turned around in class to hand her a worksheet only to find her napping, head pillowed on her arms and snoring softly. Eyes closed, face lax, she had looked just like she did now, with the exception of one of her pigtails which had come loose during the fall. For a moment, Adrien's heart stopped at the thought that she wasn't going to wake up, that dear, sweet Marinette had gone to sleep for good, and it wasn't until her kwami gently guided his hand towards her abdomen that he noticed the shallow rise and fall of her chest.

 _I did this…_

"All this time you've been right behind me," he whispered, tears spilling over his cheeks as he traced the contours of her face lightly. "I'm so sorry, my Lady…"

Tikki burrowed herself into the crook of Adrien's neck, clinging tightly to him as she continued to cry, and neither of them paid any attention as the white butterfly flew away, disappearing into the night.

* * *

"Dude, don't be too hard on yourself. She blames herself too, you know?"

Adrien's broken sob was muffled, his face buried in his arms, unable to even look his best friend in the eye. It was all Nino could do to rub his back in comfort, providing a physical anchor to assure the blonde that he was there for him.

The abrupt change in Adrien's personality had been unsettling to say the least, especially since Nino's last memory of him had been the cold, distant teen he had transformed into over the past few months. Nevertheless, it was good to see Adrien – the _real_ Adrien – again. He looked somewhat out of place in the formal attire Felix preferred, and Nino had graciously lent him a hoodie to wear, if only to hide the crimson stains covering over half of his ashen vest.

Marinette had nearly bled out in Adrien's arms as he ran to the hospital, cradling her to his chest. The magic from her Miraculous had protected her from suffering the full extent of Cataclysm's effect, but the damage had still been pretty severe. She would be hospitalized for at least a month, bedridden and hooked up to an IV drip, but the doctors had assured them that she would make a steady recovery. Adrien had been an absolute mess when Nino and Alya had found him, and they had to practically drag him out of the washroom before he scrubbed his hands raw, sitting him down outside Marinette's room to let him calm down for a bit.

"W-where's Alya?" Adrien managed to ask, lifting his head enough for Nino to see his puffy eyes, red from crying.

"She went to call Mari's parents," Nino sighed, rubbing his neck absently. "Listen, don't worry about your dad, okay? We'll figure something out. In the meantime, you can stay at my place."

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose –"

"Nonsense! What are best friends for?" Nino smiled at him, happy to catch a familiar glimpse of Adrien's old personality peeking through. He stood up and stretched, working out some of the kinks from sitting in the hard plastic chair for so long. "I'm gonna get us something hot to drink. You want coffee, or…?"

"Ugh, no thanks. Just water will do."

"Got it," he laughed, reaching over to give Adrien a one-armed hug. "It's good to have you back, buddy."

The hallway was empty by the time Alya returned from her call, and she poked her head into Marinette's room, acting on a hunch that it was where she would find Adrien.

Sure enough, the teen was slumped over the side of her best friend's bed, one arm cushioning his head as he slept while the other held onto Marinette's hand. Alya felt the urge to take a picture of the heartwarming scene, but the peaceful expressions on their faces ultimately dissuaded her. It didn't feel right intruding on their private moment, and she smiled to herself as she put her phone away.

Beneath the blankets near their clasped hands were two inconspicuous bumps, rustling the sheets as they shifted occasionally. Alya quietly slipped out and shut the door behind her. The Miraculous and their guardians were safe, their companions and partners reunited, and she knew they were going to be okay.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : And with that, this story is officially concluded. Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone enjoyed the ride! Hit me up on tumblr if you ever wanna chat :)


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